Giveaway near for prom dresses

February 27, 2009|KATIE KOTARAK Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND Princess for a Night prom dress collection organizers say they are still in need of dresses for this year's event. The free dress giveaway will take place March 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the College Football Hall of Fame. Ziker Cleaners and the Junior League of South Bend urge the community to donate their modern semiformal or formal prom dresses to ensure the girls have plenty of color, style and size variety to choose from. With only a few weeks to go in the collection process, organizers report their current inventory consists of 275 dresses, significantly short of the 1,000 dress goal set for this year. Jennifer Probst, of Ziker Cleaners, is worried there might not be enough dresses to go around this year. "There have always been plenty of dresses, but this year our biggest concern is that we won't have enough," she said. Last year, as many as 500 girls left the event with a dress to wear to their school's dance. The lackluster economy is even more reason to help the teens and their families, she said. "These are girls who probably couldn't afford a prom dress. Now they can spend that money on their hair or nails or just save it and help out their parents during the tough times," Probst said. In the past, girls who have participated in the Princess for a Night event have taken it very seriously, sometimes camping out all night. "The girls are very excited about getting something for nothing," said Probst. "We had girls last year at 3 a.m." Organizers allow groups of 50 girls at a time enter. Once inside, they have 10 minutes to pick out a dress and try it on. Dresses will be given out on a first-come, first-serve basis. Girls who come to the event must show a valid student ID card and arrive no later than 12:15 p.m. Dresses are being accepted until March 14 at all eight Ziker Cleaners locations in South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger and Elkhart. Drop boxes are also located at Brown Mackie College, Indiana University South Bend, the Junior League of South Bend and Bethel College.